NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – The United Nations issued a warning that global initiatives to eliminate violence against children are falling behind schedule for 2030. This evaluation arrives two decades after the landmark UN report on violence directed at children. A new progress update highlights that conflict, displacement, climate-related dangers, and digital abuse have expanded risks to child protection. Najat Maalla M’jid, the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children, compiled this latest assessment. The 81st UN General Assembly session is set to review the report later this month.
According to the report, nearly 19% of children worldwide now reside in conflict zones, up from about 10% during the 1990s. By the end of 2024, conflict and violence had displaced 48.8 million children across the globe, nearly tripling the approximately 17 million displaced children recorded in 2010. This figure includes refugee and asylum-seeking children, as well as millions displaced within their own countries due to violence and conflict.
Climate-related hazards are adding further danger for young populations worldwide. Close to half of all children, or 1.1 billion, are exposed to at least three overlapping climate risks. Nearly every child faces at least one such threat, based on UNICEF’s 2026 climate risk assessment. Over 4 million children encounter as many as six concurrent hazards, including drought, extreme heat, heatwaves, floods, fires, tropical storms, and sand and dust storms.
Digital threats intensify concerns about child safety
The UN assessment also emphasizes that digital environments have broadened the spectrum of dangers confronting children. Approximately one in three internet users globally is under 18. Data cited by the UN office indicates that over 300 million children annually experience online sexual exploitation and abuse. During the past year, at least 1.2 million children reported that artificial intelligence had transformed their images into sexually explicit deepfakes. Additional online risks include cyberbullying, fraud, identity theft, trafficking, and exposure to harmful content.
A 2025 survey conducted by M’jid’s office collected responses from more than 30,000 children across all regions. Results showed that 66% of participants believed cyberbullying had increased. Furthermore, half of the children were unaware of how or where to report such incidents and seek help. The report also highlights threats like hate speech, privacy breaches, and criminal recruitment online. Emerging AI tools have introduced new dangers involving deepfakes, automated targeting, and digital content manipulation.
UN urges enhanced prevention measures and safeguarding strategies
The report advocates for a coordinated approach grounded in prevention, protection, participation, and accountability. Recommendations include the development of national strategies aimed at ending all forms of violence against children. It also emphasizes the need for legal bans, improved data collection, and increased investment in child protection infrastructure. The UN suggests that digital safeguards should incorporate stronger privacy and safety protocols across platforms and AI systems. It further promotes accessible mechanisms for reporting abuse and meaningful child involvement in decisions impacting their security.
Since July 2019, M’jid has served as the UN Special Representative on Violence Against Children. During her tenure, she has conducted 65 country-level visits and met with senior officials across national and local governments. Her engagements have included 35 heads of state, heads of government or their deputies, along with 728 ministers and senior officials. The latest report also estimates that the global annual cost of lost human capital due to mental health issues among children amounts to $393 billion. The UN assessment confirms that progress toward the 2030 goal of ending violence against children remains off track.